Mamelodi Sundowns winger Siyanda Ndlovu has silenced his doubters after helping the club lift the MTN8 trophy with a 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. Ndlovu came off the bench in the second half and immediately made an impact, winning a stoppage-time penalty that Iqraam Rayners converted to seal the win. This triumph marked his second trophy with Sundowns and his first taste of MTN8 success.
Ndlovu's move to Sundowns was highly publicized, particularly after he appeared set to join Orlando Pirates before a late change of direction took him to Chloorkop. His decision to join an already star-studded Sundowns squad prompted questions over whether he would receive regular playing time amid competition from established attacking players. However, Ndlovu says the criticism gave him an extra incentive to prove himself.
Rather than being discouraged by the criticism, Ndlovu says it pushed him to compete for his place in the team. "Those remarks actually pushed me, the fact that I'm coming into a team that has quality players means I must compete to be able to claim my position so those that made those remarks actually helped me," he said. The 23-year-old has also credited his previous experience at Golden Arrows for helping him settle into life at Sundowns.
Ndlovu pointed to the similarities in playing style under former Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi, who is now at Sundowns. "In terms of adjusting, I think it was easy for me because the kind of football we play here is similar to how we played at Golden Arrows under coach Manqoba Mngqithi so they made the transition easier," he added. This helped him adapt quickly to his new team.
Ndlovu's impact against Pirates offered a glimpse of the threat he can provide from the bench, with his direct running and willingness to take on defenders helping Sundowns maintain their attacking threat. His contribution came on a night when Sundowns claimed their fifth MTN8 title and denied Pirates a historic fifth consecutive triumph.
For Ndlovu, the challenge now is to turn such influential cameos into consistent performances and force his way into a starting role as Sundowns continue their pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts. The winger's performance was particularly satisfying as it marked his second trophy with Sundowns and his first taste of MTN8 success.
Ndlovu expressed his happiness at winning the MTN8, saying his one wish was to win it as soon as he played the competition. "I'm very happy to have won my second trophy for the club but more than anything, I hadn't played the MTN8 before this season so my one wish was to win it as soon as I played the competition so I'm glad that's happened now," he told the media.
Key points
- Siyanda Ndlovu says criticism over his ability to establish himself at Mamelodi Sundowns motivated him to compete for his place.
- Ndlovu's previous experience at Golden Arrows helped him settle into life at Sundowns.
- The 23-year-old winger aims to turn influential cameos into consistent performances to force his way into a starting role.
